Author Archives: Leith Central Community Council

A plan is in hand to start where the tram works stopped

LEITH’s fortunes could be in for a boost as new Chair of the Leith Business Association (LBA) Alex Wilson brings his skills and energy to the role.

Having done his homework, the association now has a redrafted constitution, newly introduced membership fees and a much wider sweep across Leith than the original Leith Walk membership. This association now means business and is ready to get to work.

“Our current and most pressing challenges are the residual problems of the tram works,” says Alex. “Business has suffered badly and the lack of investment in, and care for this area now requires imaginative thinking as we work to put things right. As we gain new members we will be able to tackle some of these problems and that’s what we intend to do.”

Having lived and worked as an interior designer in California for some years, local historian Alex kept in touch with news at home online. On his return to Edinburgh he quickly became involved again in local community life. He is also standing as an independent city council candidate in the May elections, .

Alex’s new appointment as Chair of LBA has fitted in well with a two-year campaign he set in motion to recover Leith’s ancient and historic flag from the Lord Lyon, the official heraldry office for Scotland. . “Thanks to the support of many interested people, our campaign has been successful,” he says proudly, “A ceremony will take place in Leith Library very soon in which the flag will be handed over to the charge of Leith Neighbourhood Partnership.

“Historically Leith has a strong community identity,” says Alex. “Regaining the flag will help Leith to regain that proud spirit and of course it will help to stimulate the success of local businesses. Leith has a great future ahead. ”

The next meeting of the LBA will beheld on Wednesday May 9th, starting at 5.45 at the Persevere Room Kirkgate Community Centre. If you would like to learn more about the work of the Leith Business Association, or to become a member, you can contact Alex at wilsonamc3@aol.com

A long history gives part of Leith special status

PILRIG comes under the spotlight as a group of dedicated community councillors in Leith actively prepare for a bid for conservation status for the area.

Guided by officials of City of Edinburgh Council’s (CEC) Built Heritage, the group are gathering information about the architectural and historical significance of the area, and developing recommendations for a proposed boundary.

That boundary could include Pilrig Park (pictured below) , with Pilrig House (pictured above) as the key historical focus, Bonnington School, Rosebank Cemetery and Rosslyn Crescent. The Shaws colonies, Spey Terrace, Pilrig Cottages and Balfour Street could also be included. Shrubhill Tram sheds would add an emphasis to the industrial heritage of the area as well.

With 49 listed buildings, some dating from 1638 onwards, Pilrig contains work by well-known nineteen century architects William Burns and Robert Rowand Anderson (later well known for the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and other important Edinburgh buildings). It’s layout also reflects a long history as a coherent unit since the proposed conservation area was originally mostly one estate owned by the Balfour family. Robert Louis Stevenson’s grandfather, Lewis Balfour was born in Pilrig House in 1777. Stevenson mentions the house in two of his novels.

These and other interesting historical facts about Pilrig are included in a Character Appraisal being prepared about the area. The document includes reference to recent archaeological excavations in Pilrig Park of an artillery fort constructed by the English besiegers of the French citadel in Leith in 1560. This was the remains of one of two major forts linked with trenches that encircled Leith. In military terms, as the only 16^th century seige works found in Britain, they could be some of the most important in Europe.

The group will encourage informal consultation with local people before making a formal application to the Planning Department of CEC, likely to take place in late autumn of this year.

In the meantime the group would welcome comments and relevant information from anyone in the community and would be particularly keen to hear from anyone with expertise in architectural history or natural heritage.

If the Planning Committee approves the proposal to designate Pilrig as conservation area, the proposal would then go out to public consultation; this would probably involve an exhibition in MacDonald Road library.

If you think you could contribute to the Character Appraisal for Pilrig, please contact the convenor of the Leith Central Community Council (LCCC) planning sub-committee, Annette O’Carroll at <aocarroll2006@yahoo.co.uk> or secretary to LCCC Roland Reid at <randmreid@blueyonder.co.uk>

Visions for The Walk

THE FUTURE of The Walk was the main focus of a Leith Neighbourhood Partnership public meeting held on 21^st March at Lorne Primary School.

Leith Central Community Council was well represented in a diverse audience that came to hear the ‘vision’ offered by City Design Leader Riccardo Marini. Praising the vibrancy of the area, he said that ’culture, creativity and design don’t get the attention they deserve’ in city planning. He also said that a place is a reflection of the culture of the people who live there and asked the audience to consider who and what the Walk is for. He said that the vision should come from the 40,000 who live near to the area and are part of the life that is lived there.

With Leith Walk regarded as one of the top three roads in Edinburgh, after Princes Street and the Royal Mile, Marini stressed that bypassing bureaucracy was essential to get the focus back on to people and the quality of life in the area. Ten thousand vehicle movements a day, and 7,000 pedestrians demonstrate just how popular this main arterial route has become.

Both Marini and Services for Communities manager Mike Penny urged the audience to give their views about what they wanted for the area. They suggested that a series of workshops should be held as soon as possible. But protesters in the audience said that consultations had already been done, what they wanted was some concrete results.

Pedestrianised areas, wider pavements, slower traffic speeds, more provision for cyclists and more services to support local community life were some of the recommendations. More benches where people could gather without having to spend money were also requested.

With further road works planned that will take six months to complete, the Walk is in for another period of austerity before the end of the year. But funds are set aside for a complete resurfacing of the road when all works are complete.

Mike Penny said: “There’s a reducing amount of money that we can spend one way or another. We need your help in identifying the priorities. There are different ways of looking at things. Can we do something with you?”. Riccardo Marini added: “Let’s get the passion back into the Walk.” One audience member said however that the complex issue of traffic management was really the key to all future plans. “If the volume of traffic is at the level you describe, what do we do with all these vehicle movements?” These are the questions to be considered at future workshops.

The Walk struggles to keep up appearances

LOVERS of Leith Walk will need more tolerance towards her dowdy look as a makeover won’t be happening in the short term. A major stumbling block to her revamp still remains. What some would call her bete noir, the tram, still lurks in the shadows.

Neighbourhood Manager for City Centre and Leith, Mike Penny, admits that the cards for a link to Newhaven are still on the table. “While it’s definite that the tram is going to St. Andrew Square, it is still said that the route could go right to Newhaven,” he said. “Thus anything significant needs that final determination. We have to wait for that. We have to hold back spending the money allocated for Leith Walk until that decision is made. Completion of that further tram extension could take some years yet.”

In the meantime, more alarming news emerges that further and final Scottish Water works must be carried out along the length of the Walk. Planning for this is at a late stage and works are likely to start later this year. These will last around 6 months and it is anticipated that work will be completed towards the end of 2012.

“We will then do a complete resurfacing of all of the road,” says Mike Penny. “That will cut out all that bumping over uneven surfaces which is such an inconvenience to everyone at the present time. We are very committed to a fundamental makeover of the Walk, but these last works have to be done first, then we can get under way. We plan to reinstate the famous landmarks, the Leith clock and the ‘pigeons’ during that period too.”

Several property developers who own large sites on the Walk and once may have had serious building projects in mind, have now changed their business plans. The company that provides student accommodation, Unite owns the big grey shell that is Shrubhill. “It would appear that the company no longer plans to develop the site,” says Mike “We have been informed that they are looking for a buyer. In the meantime we continue to discuss options for improving the appearance of the site. Hoardings will be reinstated soon and advertising boards established to add colour through the council’s Authorised Advertising Project; it seems less likely that the proposal for a vinyl cover of the whole building with a large image (as has been done in other parts of the city) will now go ahead.. The pressure to sell puts some limitations on some of the ideas, but we are continuing discussions.”

The Old Tram Depot next door to Shrubhill is currently being used as a storage facility for building materials too. Leith Walk is still a work in progress. Those who love her colour and potential will have to wait a little longer for her return to the glory days.

Leith Central CC stand up for Sunday libraries

An article has been published by The Edinburgh Reporter Online about members’ of Leith Central CCs concerns over proposed Sunday closing for libraries. At the meeting on January 16th some strong opinions emerged on the issue. You can read that article here:

http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2012/01/leith-central-community-council-highlight-the-library-consultation/